98. Governor pays final respects to 82-year-old Congressman CW 'Bill' Young in Orlando

Photo for Headline Surfer / Florida's longest serving Congressman, CW Bill Young, shown here at left, died in October at the age of 82, and at the time, was the longest-tenured represntative.

ORLANDO -- Gov. Rick Scott issued a statement Friday, Oct. 18, from Orlando just hours after the passing of Congressman C.W. "Bill" Young, who at 82, was the longest-serving Republican in the House,

Young, a Republican who had been hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington, D.C. in the weeks leading up to his death, was unpredictable to say the least in GOP politics.

One such example: In the 1976 Republican primary for president, he endorsed then-President Gerald Ford over California Gov. Ronald Reagan.

Regardless, two of Florida's highest-ranking Republicans came out strong in remembrances for Young.

“Ann and I join all Floridians as we mourn the passing of Representative Bill Young," Scott said in a statement e-mailed to Headline Surfer and other Florida media outlets.

"As Florida’s longest serving member of Congress, Bill will be remembered as a true statesman and champion for the Tampa Bay area. He served with eight US presidents throughout his career, always putting the families of Florida first, and working across the aisle to find solutions."

Gov. Rick Scott issues a statement on the passing of Congressman Bill Young.

“Ann and I join all Floridians as we mourn the passing of Representative Bill Young," Scott said in a statement e-mailed to Headline Surfer and other Florida media outlets. "As Florida’s longest serving member of Congress, Bill will be remembered as a true statesman and champion for the Tampa Bay area. He served with eight US presidents throughout his career, always putting the families of Florida first, and working across the aisle to find solutions."

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio also issued a press statement to Headline Surfer, stating of the late congressman, “Floridians have lost one of the greatest public servants we’ve ever had in our state’s history. For over a half century, Bill fought tirelessly for the Tampa Bay region and to strengthen Florida’s role as a critical part of our national defense."

Rubio continued, "Largely because of Bill Young, many of our nation’s brave men and women in uniform have called Florida home at some point in their careers, with many of them spending their golden retirement years here. Throughout Bill’s career, our military and veterans have had no greater champion than him. My thoughts and prayers are with Bill’s wife, Beverly, and their entire family."

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Henry Frederick is publisher of Headline Surfer®, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet covering the Daytona Beach-Sanford-Orlando metro area via HeadlineSurfer.com for a decade now. A longtime cops & courts reporter focused on breaking news & investigative reporting, Frederick is among the Sunshine State's most prolific daily news reporters, having amassed dozens of journalism-industry awards in print anddigital platforms. Frederick is enrolled at Full Sail University in Winter Garden, FL, where he's three-fourths through the online Master of Arts program in New Media Journalism. His graduation is in August.